simplicity

[sim-plis-i-tee]

noun

plural

simplicities 

1. the state, quality, or an instance of being simple.

2. freedom from complexity, intricacy, or division into parts.

   an organism of great simplicity.

3. absence of luxury, pretentiousness, ornament, etc.; plainness.

   a life of simplicity.

4. freedom from deceit or guile; sincerity; artlessness; naturalness.

   a simplicity of manner.

   Synonyms: honesty, directness, candor

5. lack of mental acuteness or shrewdness.

   Politics is not a field for simplicity about human nature.

simplicity

/ sɪmˈplɪsɪtɪ /

noun

1. the quality or condition of being simple

Other Word Forms

• nonsimplicity noun
• oversimplicity noun
• supersimplicity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of simplicity¹

1325–75; Middle English simplicite (< Old French simplicité ) < Latin simplicitās simpleness, equivalent to simplici- (stem of simplex ) simplex + -tās -ty ²

Example Sentences

Told with an unassuming, gentle simplicity that grows into an accumulating emotional power, the film manages to feel very small and specific while also vast and expansive.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

There’s no banjo, slide, or pedal-steel guitar here, and the arrangements zero in on simplicity, conveying harmonic structure and mood with only essential instrumentation, which keeps the emphasis on the songwriting.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Together, these trends point to a more value-driven streaming consumer seeking affordability and simplicity,” the study said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

If you have an income of $200,000 and, for the sake of simplicity, let’s say you have $1 million in your tech-heavy mutual fund, and your home is paid off, you are sitting pretty.

Read more on MarketWatch

But for many Europeans—and for some lucky Americans like me—European travel offers freedom, flexible and simplicity.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• candor 
• clarity 
• directness www.thesaurus.com
• integrity 
• modesty 
• purity 
• restraint 
• unity